Transcript
Corrections is generally considered the final stage in the criminal justice process. After a crime has been discovered, reported and the defendant convicted through the court process, corrections takes control. Authors of the 8th edition Corrections in the 21st Century, Smallenger and Smykla define corrections as...management of individuals accused and convicted of crimes. The President of Commission of Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice States "Corrections is the part of the Criminal Justice System that -- the public sees least of and knows least about”. (8) This is an unfortunate very real truth. I am a two time convicted felon. I was sentenced for a possession of a controlled substance by Ingestion, and a 3rd Driving Under the Influence for having a controlled substance in my system. These felonies have confined me behind the walls of the Pierre Women's institution, convicting me being a part of the South Dakota Department of Corrections since 2014. Institutional Corrections is defined in our text as involving the rehabilitation of adults convicted and their confinement. (9) Different correctional facilities all over the country have Value, Vision and Mission Statements specifically geared for their institution. The South Dakota Inmate Living Guide describes it's mission statement as this: A national leader in corrections that enhances public safety by employing evidence based practices to maximize the opportunities for rehabilitation of offenders. I can honestly say the President of Commission of Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice was accurate when he said that corrections is indeed the -- part of the system that is least seen or known about. Correlating with my own experience and references from our text; here are some corruption realities I've read about, heard about, seen, experienced, and believe continue to take place within the walls of the correctional institution. People are hired to work in the prison system that then hold positions of power. Most are uneducated and underqualified. Exceptions to the rules are made from employing those corrections officers, to their vie for hierarchy from looking passed proper training, to officers then moving through management and administration positions. Just like in very small communities, as the saying goes -- it is not what you know -- it is who you know. This saying holds merit in the very prison I am in. It is these very ideologies in the system of facilities all over that initiate the rise of levels to corruption. Our textbook states 'a correctional professional is a dedicated person of high moral character and personal integrity who is employed in the field of corrections and takes professionalism to heart.’ (9). However, my understanding of professionalism and the reality of characteristics of real employed correction staff is very opposite and contradictory. The basis of my observation perpetuates mostly from a new hires training and their qualifications. A number of standard-setting professional associations have developed models for professionalism and offer detailed sets of written principles that correctional occupations and corrections administration should follow to guide training, and clarify expectations of those working in corrections. Our text describes four categories for certification (or credentialing) that are standards required for formal education to minimum training for those who work in the highest organizational levels employed in an institution to those working directly with offenders. Our text describes the fourth category the American Correctional Association (ACA) developed for a certified Corrections Officer, or CCO. (In my facility they are only known as Correctional Officers -- C.O's, or S.C.O.'s -- Senior Correctional Officers). The Professional Education Council of the American Correctional Association state 'these tests are intended to increase professionalism in the field and provide a standard criminal justice curriculum'. (1) A high school diploma or equivalent is required of those seeking a C.C.O. (or C.O) certification. A two year college degree is required of those seeking a supervisor or correctional management. After speaking with several guards, I feel comfortable in saying that the minimal amount of education a correctional officer must go through has and continues to be overlooked. One correctional officer in particular states "Although we are required to go through training, it is only three weeks long and involves mostly shadowing. (13) Recently with the short hand we have for staff most new hires only shadow for three shifts." This C.O. also went on to say she had only worked two shifts when she started and then was more so 'thrown onto the floor'. Having to supervise a parole board hearing her third day. She states "it was very intimidating not knowing any of the women and having to rotate these women in to seeing parole board members..." "I was so nervous I was trying to make my hands stop from shaking as I held the parole board sheets". I see this happening all the time. We have a very fast turn over rate for correctional officers so there are exceptions made with not only hiring new employees, but even training them. The facility I am in is located in a small town. They are always looking to fill positions in this prison, and these positions are not competitive or hard to get. It is not unheard of to get hired if you already know someone currently working here or have a family relative already working. Mike Durfey State Prison is located in Springfield South Dakota. This is a mens minimum unit. A correctional officer who is no longer employed there states "...I was able to acquire a position simply because three members of my family worked there. At the time there was no training center for new hires so I did go for a weekend at the men's main prison for a three day period..." He also stated when asked about his education "of course I had a high school diploma, but was still able to hold a position of Corporal without further education under me...My dad was the prisons head security and my mother was a case manager there…” (13) With this being said, positions of power can and are filled by under qualified, improperly trained individuals within the walls of correctional facilities. These exceptions grow to be problematic as positions in upper management are then filled. It could grow into levels of corruption in the example of El Chapo, where guards were paid off and he escaped tunneling through to freedom. Prison walls all over the globe do more than just keep inmates in. Opportunities are dim for some, information turned to secrets and corruption can be seen in many forms. A single correctional officer made $150,000 a year bringing in contraband cell phones. It made headlines as it was revealed over 10,000 cell phones were smuggled into California prisons by correctional officers. Proper training and proper hiring screening could be the solution to most corruption; as William Sandervan, previous direction of the A.C.A. stated “Professionalism in Corrections is vitally important to not only the safety and security -- but the integrity of correctional agencies and institutions everywhere" (8) Other types of corruption in state prisons include, misuse of confidential information of inmates, abusing inmates, sabotaging by filing false informationals, failure to provide adequate mental health counseling, not offering drug rehabilitation, bringing in contraband etc. Surprisingly, though, federal corruption is rare; a low two hundred thirty-eight cases of criminal misconduct was recently reported by the office Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Justice. (11) Authoritative corruption is not the only kind happening; housing inmates together that have similar charges could end in trouble planned for communities and society. Schmalleger and Smykla reference Mark Hamm, a criminal justice professor as he points out "Prisoner radicalization is a problem that grows in secretive underground inmate subcultures through prison gangs and extremist propaganda encouraging joining through religious activities." (3). These religious doctrines inspire ideologies of intolerance, hatred and violence. (6). Mr. Hamm describes the "B.O.P. uses a group called ISNA to select Chaplins to serve inmates in prison." In reality, they should be careful of this, terrorists are eager to recruit and the prison population would be the easiest to infiltrate as our text points out. Chip Ellis, research and program coordinator for the National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism states "Prisoners are a captive audience, they usually have a diminished sense of self or a need for identity and protection...inmates angry and embittered by their circumstances that no longer have much communication with their family are typically the most vulnerable", (11) thus easier to manipulate and influence for their cause. Transferring inmates could lead to more radicalization, the spreading of ideas/propaganda and recruitment. Islam is not the only threat. Any sort of unsupervised religious service or meeting could seem innocent at face value when in all actuality it is an opportunity to radicalize and plan potential attacks on communities. Terrorist attorneys have also been guilty of passing illegal communication verbally and through the mail. However Federal Budget restrictions do not allow the reading of incoming/outgoing Islamic (or any religion) mail because the number of translators of Arabic needed were non-existent (78) Employing more officers who are fluent in other languages supervising activities more often, looking into suspicious actions or movement in the facilities are just a few solutions that can be done to improve the levels of corruption this can lead to. Overcrowding is a huge problem in todays prisons. If the public were given correct information about alternative incarceration they would be able to see supporting information for these alternatives. Treatment over incarceration for low-level drug offenders and community service is less expensive. Also, most judges sanction offenders thinking they can get the treatment they need in prison while the reality is - very few receive the treatment they need inside the prison walls. Schmalleger and Smykla point out that only twenty percent of drug offenders receive treatment when in actuality seventy percent of offenders admitted to being under the influence during their crime. (2) If the public knew the lack of resources and rehabilitation that really existed inside the walls of correctional institutions, I think they could influence more decisions for alternative sanctions versus just locking up low-level drug offenders and hoping they maybe one of the few that receive treatment. This would in turn help the overcrowding in todays prisons all over. From personal experience I see the overcrowding as problematic. Women offenders here have very few resources and services available for them to re-entry. A big credit this prison once had was the IMT program (Intense Meth Program). Ten years ago, this program was praised for having a very high success rate for drug offenders. Now this program is non-existent. Judges all over South Dakota sentence women here to complete this program that no longer exists due to no staff. We currently have only one chemical dependency counselor that juggles intakes with one other part time gal along with the only running class - MRT (moral recognition therapy). The mental health staff employed is just as slim, with only two mental health counselors, no secretary, and a director that just resigned on the spot. For a prison with a population of roughly seven-hundred women - I’ll let you guess the number of women who actually will benefit from any help behind the walls of my current correctional facility. I am a statistic; I am one of the many women here that was sent to receive classes, programming for rehabilitation, and treatment. Instead I have sat idle, seeking my own rehabilitation through my own efforts and luckily having the resources to become the first inmate incarcerated in this correctional facility to take college courses. I’m sure this is just one of many facilities that portrays in their mission, value and vision statements that they strive for “practices that maximize the opportunities for rehabilitation for offenders…” when in reality resources and services available are non-existent for us. This portrayal of rehabilitation is in itself corrupt. A solution to this is to make the public and law makers aware of what is really offered inside the walls of correctional facilities. Maybe then, alternatives to incarceration would be looked at. This would also help the overcrowding that is taking place in prisons all over the country. Certain personality types are easily known in the prison world. Officer corruption depends on the situation. These personality types are: the dictator, the friend, the merchant, the turn key, the climber, the reformer, and the do-gooder. (7) I bet you can guess which type gives inmates the hardest time. having to suffer some of the examples I mentioned is what we deal with on a day to day basis. New officers are trained for their certification, but a lot of their training is on the job. It appears officers have their own set of rules and ways of doing things. This makes inconsistencies not only for the officers, but the inmates too. Inaccurate write-ups or briefings can be detrimental to an inmate’s future. Officers also pass on information to the parole board; bad information passed along could make or break the parole board’s decision whether to allow release or not. Rehabilitation and programming during incarceration is vital for a parolee’s re-entry and success on parole. Researcher Patrick Langin and David Levins estimate a devastating 50% of prison releases will become reincarcerated within the first three years, typically within the first 6 months after release. Smallenger and Smykla then ventured it’s readers to analyze this question: What is the purpose of our Correctional System if it is - in fact - not correcting? (4) The release of an inmate to a community that lacks services is not the only issue; safety issues arise because of these realities. Of the many issues one faces on parole, six are described in our text. Successful re-entry back into the community is essential, which then goes back to events before release. Re-entry is a major issue. A solution to aid after entry is community policing and continued involvement from police agencies. (5) This will not only hold the offender accountable, but make the transition a successful one, but most most importantly - having a safe and productive environment for all. Other solutions to stop corruption in correctional facilities would be to pinpoint remove, and replace people. Whether it be a simple corrupt correctional officer, to a Warden or Unit Coordinator. Knowing corruption is happening and turning their cheek is exactly the ideology that makes it escalate. References 1. Carter, D. (1991). “The Status of Education and Training In Corrections.” Federal Probation, Vol. 55 no. 2 p. 17-23 2. Fulton, B. A. & Gendveau, P. (2007). “Restructuring of Intermediate Sanctions: Applying What Works.” Lexington, KY: American Probation and Parole Association. 3. Hemm, M. S. (2011). “Prisoner Radicalization: Assessing the Threat In U.S. Correctional Institutions.” NIJ Journal (No. 261) p. 17 4. Lanan, P. A. & Levin, D. J. (2002). Recidivism of Prisoners Released In 1994. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics. 5. La Vigne, N. G. et. al. (2006). “Prisoner Reentry and Community Policing Strategies For Enhancing Public Safety.” Washington, D.C. Urban Institute 6. Lejins, P. P. (1990). “ACA Education Council Proposes Correctional Officer Entry Tests.” Corrections Today, Vol. 52, no 1 p. 56, 58. 7. Poole, E. & Regali, R.M. (1980) “Work Relations and Cynicism Among Prison Guards.” Criminal Justice and Behavior. Vol. 7 , p. 303 8. President Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice. (1997). “The Challenge of Crime In a Free Society.” Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 159 9. Schmallenger, F. & Smykla, J. (2013). Corrections in the 21st Century (6th ed). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. p. 26, 247, 238 10. South Dakota Inmate Living Handguide. (?). ‘Value, Mission and Vision Statemnt’, Department of Corrections. p. 1 11. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of The Inspector General. (2006). ’The Federal Bureau of Prisons, Monitoring of Mail for High Risk Inmates.’ Washington: D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office. Quoted in “Lawyer Sentenced to 28 Months in Prison On Terrorism Charge.” Court TV News October, 16th 2006 12. Ward, M. (2008). ‘Low Pay May Make Prison Guards Ripe For Smugglers.” American Statesman. 13. XYZ, W. (2019) Correctional officer 1. Quoted. SDWP XYZ, W. (2019) Previously Employed Correctional Officer. Quoted. M.D.S.P.
